Moving from a New York City apartment to nearly any freestanding house guarantees a major modification: more space. For designer Andrea Monath Schumacher’s clients, a family of three, relocating to the Centennial State provided the chance to start anew in a significantly larger residence. They opted to bring only some of their furniture with them, but did tote along several stunning pieces of contemporary art. To commence their lives in Denver, they tasked Monath Schumacher with furnishing and freshening the Hilltop home they’d selected, using their artworks as a baseline but otherwise granting the designer wide parameters to work her magic.
Thankfully, the house needed no immediate architectural interventions. The work of architect Carlos Alvarez of Alvarez Morris Architectural Studio, it was built by Caliber Construction in 2016 and envisioned as a modern farmhouse given a more urban, vertical framework. “The layout works really well, the flow is beautiful and it’s architecturally strong,” reflects Monath Schumacher, quipping, “We didn’t need to come in with a bunch of lipstick.”
Cosmetic changes were largely what her clients were seeking, which the designer welcomed, amplifying the home’s good bones by introducing layers of texture, soulful furnishings and many unexpected delights. The wife herself set the tone by spying a dazzling, jewelry-inspired pendant in a showroom and telling Monath Schumacher that it was an absolute must for her home. The piece became a starting point for a series of vibrant “wow” moments—a signature of any Monath Schumacher design—and it now dangles like a sculptural strand of pearls over the kitchen island. “The intention was to add personality and joy into otherwise tranquil settings,” the designer explains.
In the family room, midcentury brutalist safari chairs contrast with a coffee table and clean-lined sofas from Vanguard Furniture atop a Perennials rug. Tommy Lennartsson art is framed by built-in cabinetry; in the corner, a Jim Budish sculpture rests on an RH plinth.
Finding prominent places for the owners’ distinctive artworks was key to this idea. From a kaleidoscopic contemporary piece showcased in the family area of the great room to an eye-catching portrait in the living room, art provided Monath Schumacher with punctuation notes for the home’s neutral palette. See the chartreuse and blue-edged throw pillows in the family room, which pick up on similar hues in the painting, or the living room’s crimson cowhide rug—a thrilling surprise tucked within a more formal space—which plays directly off the pigments featured in the large-scale piece above. “This room is small but it feels airy, as it’s flooded with light,” the designer notes of the living room, “so it can handle a strong pop of color really well.”
Monath Schumacher also wrapped the living room and other swaths of the first floor in grass cloth, adding interest and texture to the formerly white walls. It creates a subtle but impactful hygge factor. “My client wanted her space clean-looking but not overly done, and grass cloth adds so much warmth,” she remarks. Even more warmth comes via a selection of timeworn antiques slipped in among the contemporary and transitional furnishings, such as the pair of lived-in 1960s brutalist leather safari chairs that stand out against the right angles of two family room sofas. With lacing up the back and rivet details, they make an aesthetic statement from any line of sight, yet are supple enough to relax in. “It was all about creating a sense of coziness and connection in each of these rooms,” the designer confirms.
The upstairs private spaces weren’t overlooked, of course, and offered even more chances for unexpected, striking design moments. Monath Schumacher, an advocate for never ignoring any room’s fifth wall (aka, the ceiling), draped the primary bedroom in one of her favorite wallcoverings, a sky mural by 20 th -century Italian artist Piero Fornasetti, flowing it up and over the vaulted ceiling in an immersive effect. The daughter’s bedroom and playroom received similar treatment, with lilac and soft pink paint coating the upper reaches of each space.
Whimsical touches add a sense of fun, too. Birds float across the playroom walls (the daughter chose the bold botanical and avian print herself) while a nest-like pendant and chartreuse accent table with varnished “feathers” and iron chicken feet steal the scene. Don’t miss the primary bed’s frame either, which reads as a classic white four-poster but has legs that cheekily end in hooves, “bringing a bit of Colorado to this city house,” notes Monath Schumacher of the understated wink. The homeowners, happily, have expressed to her how much they love this touch, as well as how each of their spaces now carries a dash of individuality—that “lipstick,” if you will, and so much more.
For the playroom, Sanderson’s Bird of Paradise wallcovering is paired with Benjamin Moore’s Central Mauve on the ceiling. The bookcase, settee and swivel chair are by Vanguard Furniture. The side table and floor lamp are Stray Dog Designs.
This Denver home’s exterior mixes modern and traditional elements, pairing brick with vertical siding that draws the eye up to a gabled roofline. Built in 2016, it was envisioned as a modern farmhouse given a tall twist to better fit an urban Hilltop lot.
In the family room, midcentury brutalist safari chairs contrast with a coffee table and clean-lined sofas from Vanguard Furniture atop a Perennials rug. Tommy Lennartsson art is framed by built-in cabinetry; in the corner, a Jim Budish sculpture rests on an RH plinth.
Red hues wake up an otherwise neutral living room, where vivid artwork by Hayley Mitchell is echoed by a cowhide rug from Cowhides Direct. The coffee table is by Oly Studio, a Vanguard Furniture lounge chair wears Kravet fabric and the pendant is Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort & Co. A print by Mark Kirby hangs at left.
The chartreuse and blue-edged throw pillows in the family room are just one of the punchy pops of color found throughout the house.
Gabriel Scott’s Welles chandelier creates a focal point above the kitchen’s island, which is updated with Bianco Carrara marble. Leather-topped, acrylic-frame low stools and swiveling high stools, both from Vanguard Furniture, mix at a long dining table. The artwork is by Hayley Mitchell.
Cole & Son’s Nuvolette wallpaper creates an immersive atmosphere in the primary bedroom. An Arteriors chandelier crowns an Oly Studio bed while Vanguard Furniture lounge chairs are covered in a Jim Thompson fabric. The rug is from Aztec Carpet & Rug.
For the playroom, Sanderson’s Bird of Paradise wallcovering is paired with Benjamin Moore’s Central Mauve on the ceiling. The bookcase, settee and swivel chair are by Vanguard Furniture. The side table and floor lamp are Stray Dog Designs.
Walls of Benjamin Moore’s Head Over Heels mingle with the same brand’s Amaryllis hue on the ceiling of the daughter’s bedroom. A Mr. Brown London bed features a custom Galbraith & Paul fabric headboard. The chandelier is from Visual Comfort & Co.